Survey of the English salt officers, south and eastern collections, by the Excise Surveyor General, 1749

 

 An Extract covering the Wight Isle Collection

    

1st Division

 

Freshwater

Freshwater Saltern

3 Panns

Richard Moore, Proprietor

This Work is Situated on the West Side of the Freshwater River, & has a Dock for Lighters to come up behind the Cribbs & is Extremely well Contrived for Running, it is under the Care of an Officer & 2 Watchmen.

2nd Division

 

Yarmouth

Yarmouth Saltern

2 Panns

Robert Munt, Proprietor

This Work is Situated near Yarmouth and is at Present under the care of an Officer & 2 Watchmen, but I am of the Opinion that the Officers place here may be Sunk & by allowing Alexander Statham 10£ per annum in Incidents for doing Officers Duty, for which he is very well Qualified, a Saving may be made of 38£ per annum, and the Works very Sufficiently Guarded

3rd Division

 

Hamstead

Hamstead Saltern

Samuel Todd, Proprietor

Hamstead Middle Saltern

Samuel Todd, Proprietor

Hamstead Great Saltern

Samuel Todd, Proprietor

2 Panns

 

2 Panns

 

4 Panns

These Work are Situated on the West Side of Shalfleet Creek, & are under the Care of an Officer & Two Watchmen.

4th Division

 

Shalfleet

Shalfleet Saltern

4 Panns

Sir James Worsley, Proprietor

This Work is Situated on the West Side of Shalfleet Creek, & is under the Care of One Officer & One Watchman, there has been no Salt Delivered here since last March & then only 10 Tons. The Proprietor has now there between three and four hundred Tons in his Cribbs.

5th Division

 

Newtown

Marks great Saltern

Jacob Marks, Proprietor

Day’s Saltern

Stephen Day, Proprietor

Hick’s Saltern

Messrs. Hicks and Marks, Proprietors

4 Panns

 

4 Panns

 

2 Panns

These Works are situated upon Newtown Marsh & are under the Care of an Officer & two Watchmen.

 

6th Division

 

Elmsworth

Elmsworth Saltern

Sir John Barrington, Proprietor

Elmsworth Little Saltern

Sir John Barrington, Proprietor

5 Panns

 

2 Panns

These Works are situated on the East Side of Newtown River and are under the Care of an Officer & 2 Watchmen. I am of the Opinion that one Watchman may be saved, and the Works Sufficiently Guarded, as the Proprietor is above the Temptation of Fraud, and I am also told, that he will Consent to have locks put on his Cribbs.

7th Division

 

Thornefs

Thornefs Saltern

Henry Main, Proprietor

2 Panns

This Work is Situated on the South Side of the Point that forms Thorney Bay & is under the Care of an Officer, who Acts as Watchman, he lives above a mile from the Works, there being no House to be got nearer, at Present, nor is there any place to shelter himself in, when the weather is Severe, unlefs the Proprietor permitts him to come into the Works, which must necefsarily make him give Lefs attendance to his Duty.

8th  Division

 

Cowes

Cowes Saltern

Stephen Day, Proprietor

3 Panns

 

This Works is Situated on the West Side of Cowes harbour, the Proprietor has a Cribb Opposite to his Works, at the Back of which there is a Dock, big enough to receive a Sloop of 30 Tons, & which can come within 6 feet of the Cribb, where there is a Door way out, but at present is fastned up with a few Boards, this Cribb is almost full of Salt & the Proprietor may, with great Ease, Runn the Salt from thence, tho’ the Officers are never so Carefull, their Work is under the Care of 1 Officer & 2 Watchmen.

9th Division

 

 

Nettleston Saltern

James Kirkpatrick, Proprietor

3 Panns

This Work is Situated in Nettleston Bay, Open to Spithead, and is under the Care of an Officer & a Watchman. I have seen the Proprietor, who is willing to Build a House for the Officer adjoining to the Works for 5£ per annum & will allow his Cribb to be Locked up & I then think the Watchman may be Sunk.

           

This Collection contains Fourteen Salterns containing Forty Two Panns belonging to Eleven Proprietors and are all Situated on the North Side of the Island & Extend above 20 Miles in a Direct Line from Freshwater Saltern to Nettleston Saltern, but when the Collector makes a Survey of all the Works he Cannot (in his Round) Ride lefs Than Sixty Miles. I Examined all the Beams & Weights      in the Collection, which are very just, but the Beams are much Worn & I imagine that they will not serve above another Year. A small standard Beam is much Wanted. The Boat at Newtown is very Old & Decayed & altho’ it has been repaired Twice since May 1748 yet she is now in so bad a Condition she will hardly swim. I think she should be Condemned & a New one Built. There is also great want of a Boat at Yarmouth & Freshwater, for altho’ the Collector is allowed 2 Pounds per Annum for going out yet often Times the Boats are all out either Fishing or Pilateing Vefsells, that it is impofsible to get one, Whereas when a Boat is fixed there he can Always get men to Rowe it & the two Pound per Annum now Allowed will Fully Defray the Charge of them; and I think the two Boats may be Built & Completed For about Eight Guineas, & I am very sure would be very Usefull.

 

 

Mr John Browne Collector a very Carefull Sensible Active Man & takes great care of his Collection Upon my Arrival I Examined his Accounts & Closed them to the 29th July & the Ballance being Two hundred Twenty three pounds Seventeen Shillings & Seven pence three farthings. I told over & found very right; he has only One Bond in his Hands from George Mackenzie, Stephen Day and John Rofs, for Eight hundred Pounds, dated 6th May 1749.

Freshwater

John Hart Officer, Aged 26, has a Wife & One Child, Employed here about 4 Years a Carefull Man & Keeps his Books well.

Edward Dove Watchman, Aged 49, a Widower with 5 Children, Employed at Lymington & here 24 years a Diligent and Carefull Man.

Thomas Wilcox Watchman, Aged 24, has a Wife & one Child. Employed here about a Year, a Carefull, Sober Man.

Yarmouth

John Smith, Officer Aged 50 has a Wife but no child, Employed at Portsea & here ever since the Revivall of the duty, he writes a Very indifferent hand and complains much of his Sight failing him he is by Profefsion and Appothecary which Bisinefs takes up so much of his time that it is impofsible for him to do his Duty as an Officer.

Alexander Statham Watchman Aged 42 has a Wife & 6 Children, Employed at Northwich Droitwich Collection & here about 13 years writes a Very Good hand, is Sober & Carefull.

Joseph Harrington Watchman Aged 42 has a Wife & 3 Children Employed in this Collection 2 Years & a half an Industrious and Carefull Man

Hamstead

Robert Read Officer, Aged 40 has a Wife & 6 Children. Employed at Portsea, Northwich and here since the Revivall of the Duty, is much Troubled with Gout, he is also greatly mended in his Duty and Promises to behave well for the Future; I find he is got in Debt to the Proprietor which may be Prejudicial to the Revenue therefore I think he should be removed to some other Collection.

James Naish, Watchman, Aged 45, has a Wife & 7 Children, Employed here 10 Years a Carefull Sober Man.

John Sears Watchman, Aged 46 has a Wife & three Children, Employed in the Collection 17 Years a Carefull industrious Man.

Newtown

William Hook, Officer, Aged 50 has a Wife & three Children. Employed at Northwich, Sunderland and here, 3 Years a Carefull Sober Officer.

Joseph Attwell Watchman Aged 29 has a Wife & 7 Children Employed in this Collection 16 years a very Honest Carefull Man.

William Danvers, Watchman Aged 35 A Single Man Employed here for 14 Years, with a Good Hand and is a Carefull Sober Man

Elmsworth

John Vinton Officer Aged 36 has a Wife & three Children Employed at Northwich and here 15 Years a Carefull Good Officer.

John Edsall Watchman Aged 41 has a Wife and 4 Children Employed here about 9 months seems to be a Carefull Man.

Joseph Symmonds Watchman is at present very ill of a Fever his Collector says he seems very carefull of his Businefs.

Shalfleet

John Withers Officer Aged 70, seems hale of his Age has a wife and one Child, Employed at Portsea, Northwich & here for 27 Years is still capable of his Duty at this Work.

Percival Scott Watchman Aged 44 has a Wife & 5 Children, Employed in this Collection 27 Years was reduced from an Officer for ill Conduct, he promifses to be very Carefull in the Future & has been so ever since he was reduced he writes a Very good Hand.

Thornefs

Richard Davies Officer Aged 50 has a Wife but no Child Employed, at Northwich Cardigan & here about Nine Years is a Carefull good Officer bit is apt to be Quarrelsome with his present Landlord. This Officer lives too far from the Works but there is no House to be had nearer, I have therefore spoken to a farmer who’s ground Joins to the Works to Build One for the Officer which he seems to Consent, but least he should not I have also Spoke to Sir John Chichester’s Steward & he has promised to write to Sir John whose ground is very near & over looks the Works & he Believes Sir John will consent to build One for about 5£ per annum and the Officer now pays            £4 – 5 – 0

Cowes

John Wheeler Officer Age 50 a Widdower Employed here about 5 Years a Very Honest Carefull Officer.

John Thorpe Watchman Age 49 a Widdower with 4 Children Employed in this Collection 17 Years a Sober Carefull Man who writes an Exceeding good hand and is capable of a better Employment.

Nettleston

Richard Turner Officer has a Wife but no Child, Employed here about 7 Years A Carefull Honest Man Keeps his Books very well, he is very willing to Undertake Watchmans Duty at the Work, if the House I proposed is Built & the Board pays the Rent for him & give him the Coals & Candles now allowed, this will be a Saving of 25£ per annum.

Thomas Robins Watchman Aged 53 has a Wife & six Children Employed here about 17 Years he is very often Afflicted with the Gout which frequently Obliges him to Neglect his Businefs otherwise he is an Honest Carefull Man.

I think this Collection is Properly taken care of at Present, but I fear there has formerly bin a good deal of Salt Run from Freshwater Saltern tho’ I hope there is now a stop put to that, Sir James Worsleys 4 Pann Work has also been very much Neglected & has not Boiled up one third of part of the Brine it might have done for some time by which Means & the Great Quantity of Old Salt now Remaining; the Works in Generall have not Produced much above 1300 Bushells to a pann which is very much Short of what they should do; I have thought it for the Safety of the Revenue to Leave the Following Ideas which I think may be of Service to this Collection –

Rules and Orders to be Observed by the Officers and Watchmen of the Wight Island Collection.

1st. That when any Officer of Watchman is Relieved or comes on Duty, he inserts in the Watch book the time he comes on Duty & who he Relieves Signing the Same, and also Certifyes in the same book the time he is Relieved & by whom and Signs the Same.

2nd. That no Officer or Watchman absent themselves from Duty, on any pretence whatsoever without Leave, & when Leave is granted they are to insert the Same in the Watch Book & also Certifye in the same book the Time of their return.

3rd. That the Officers insert in the Watch Book the Times the Proprietors Begin Boiling and also the Times they Leave off.

4th. That the Officers insert in the beginning of the Watch Book a true list of all Stores belonging to the Revennue.

5th. That the Watch Houses be Constantly be Kept Locked when the Officers are on Duty that no one may Know what Orders are given in the Watch book, but those Concerned in the Revennue.

                                    Wight Isle 21st August 1749

                        I enjoyn the Officers and Watchmen in the Collection to

                        Strictly Observe the foregoing Orders & Directions

                                                                        Henry Talbot

 

Original Document in the National Archives ref: CUST 148/15

 

Customs Cowes Homepage

 

24 July 2007